Mladenovic reaches Indian Wells semis and top 20 in rankings

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) Kristina Mladenovic outlasted Caroline Wozniacki 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open and break into the top 20 in the WTA Tour rankings for the first time in her career.

Neither Mladenovic nor Wozniacki had dropped a set before their quarterfinal Thursday. Wozniacki rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the second set to force the tiebreaker, but the former world No. 1 and 2011 Indian Wells winner never led in the tiebreaker.

Wozniacki held for a 2-1 lead in the third set and then had her right foot heavily taped by a trainer. She went on to lose the final five games and the match, making the 28th-seeded Mladenovic the lowest seed to reach the semis.

There were 11 service breaks in the 2 +-hour match played in 91 degree (32 C) heat.